How to Design a Tack Room

Whether you are reorganizing a messy tack room or creating a new one, a well-designed tack room can save you a lot of time and frustration in the long run. An organized tack room saves you time getting ready each day, and having items like medical supplies in easy reach can be important in an emergency. A well-thought-out design will also protect your expensive tack and blankets from rodents and mildew. Shared tack rooms are often a place to hang out and gossip and even eat meals, so don't be afraid to add personal touches like photographs, a couch or a small table and chairs.

Things You'll Need

  • Saddle racks
  • Bridle racks
  • Tack trunks
  • Tool kit
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the dimensions of the room, and on a piece of paper, note the locations and measurements of any windows, doors or other obstacles.

    • 2

      Make sure you have a power source and a source of good light. As the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) notes, mice, rats, bugs and birds will seldom make their home in a brightly-lit area. It will also help you clean tack and find supplies when it's dark outside.

    • 3

      Clean and seal the room against dust and moisture, which can ruin your leather and encourage bugs, rodents and mold. Seal any gaps in the walls or along the floor and add insulation if temperature is a concern. A fan can help guard against summer humidity.

    • 4

      Assess how many saddle and bridle racks you need. If off-season items like blankets and fly sheets will be stored in the room, include airtight trunks in your tack room design. If you spend a lot of time in the tack room, add a couch, table and chair or desk in your plans.

    • 5

      Plan the layout of your tack room using the measurements you took earlier as a guide. Make sure everyday items like grooming and medical supplies are easy to access. Put off-season storage or rarely used items further away from the door. Make sure tack is logically grouped so that you don't need to walk back and forth across the room to gather each horse's saddle, bridle, etc. While function is the most important consideration in designing the room's layout, make sure the end result will be visually appealing, as you will inevitably spend a lot of time there.

    • 6

      Take out your catalogs or go down to your local tack shop and have fun picking out matching saddle and bridle racks, tack trunks, shelves and more. The USEF recommends using wire baker's racks for shelving instead of wood to reduce dust and allow you to see everything that is stored on them.

    • 7

      Install the new saddle racks, bridle racks and shelves, making sure they are all attached safely and securely to the walls.

    • 8

      Move the remaining supplies into your clean and functional new tack room.